Utagawa Toyokuni

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Artwork request

UTAGAWA TOYOKUNI (1769–1825) Toyoku­ni learned the ukiyo‑e craft as a stu­dent of Toy­oharu (1735–1814). His ear­ly work was influ­enced by Kiy­on­a­ga (1752–1815) and Shige­masa (1739–1820). Toyoku­ni became famous for his paint­ings of beau­ti­ful women(bijin-ga) and his por­traits of actors. The demand for wood­cuts of actors grew faster than the mas­ter could deliv­er. In the Uta­gawa School, found­ed by Toy­oharu and con­tin­ued by Toyoku­ni, the pro­duc­tion of actor por­traits flour­ished. Toyokuni’s most famous stu­dents were Kunisa­da (1786- ca. 1864/65) and Kuniyoshi (ca. 1797/98–1861). After Toyokuni’s death, Toyoshige (ca. 1777–1835) head­ed the Uta­gawa School until 1835. After his death, Kunisa­da took over. In the lit­er­a­ture, Kunisa­da is cit­ed as Toyoku­ni III, Toyoshige as Toyoku­ni II, and the mas­ter as Toyoku­ni I.

UTAGAWA TOYOKUNI (1769–1825) Toyoku­ni learned the ukiyo‑e craft as a stu­dent of Toy­oharu (1735–1814). His ear­ly work was influ­enced by Kiy­on­a­ga (1752–1815) and Shige­masa (1739–1820). Toyoku­ni became famous for his paint­ings of beau­ti­ful women(bijin-ga) and his por­traits of actors. The demand for wood­cuts of actors grew faster than the mas­ter could deliv­er. In the Uta­gawa School, found­ed by Toy­oharu and con­tin­ued by Toyoku­ni, the pro­duc­tion of actor por­traits flour­ished. Toyokuni’s most famous stu­dents were Kunisa­da (1786- ca. 1864/65) and Kuniyoshi (ca. 1797/98–1861). After Toyokuni’s death, Toyoshige (ca. 1777–1835) head­ed the Uta­gawa School until 1835. After his death, Kunisa­da took over. In the lit­er­a­ture, Kunisa­da is cit­ed as Toyoku­ni III, Toyoshige as Toyoku­ni II, and the mas­ter as Toyoku­ni I.

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